Login

This witness, who was one of three people who discovered the body, was interviewed at the crime scene by Detectives Armstrong and Murphy. This interview was recorded on a portable tape recorder with the witness's knowledge and consent.

Participants:

Detective T. Armstrong

Detective S. Murphy

Cheryl Weston

Detective Murphy: For the record, could you please state your name and address?

Cheryl Weston: My name is Cheryl Weston. I live at 712 Martin Luther King, in Oxford.

Cheryl Weston: We've been friends for many years... since she came to work for me in 1994.

Detective Murphy: Ms. Pace worked for you?

Cheryl Weston: Years ago. These days, just every now and again when I'm in a bind. I own The Lucky Café out on Highway 6. Kimberly was one of my waitresses back when she was working her way through college. Seems like just yesterday...

Detective Murphy: And you've been close friends ever since that time?

Cheryl Weston: I'd say so. She was there when my kids were born. She's Annie's ‒ that's my daughter ‒ she's her godmother... and she saw me through my divorce. I helped her when her mama went into the home a while back. I can't believe she's gone.

Detective Murphy: We are sorry for your loss. We know it's difficult to lose a loved one. We'll try to make this as quick as possible.

Cheryl Weston: Yes, thank you.

Detective Murphy: All right. Do you remember what time you arrived here at the house?

Cheryl Weston: I think it was just before 11:00. Becky picked me up about quarter of, maybe twenty to. We came over and got Jeremy and came here. Yes, I'd say we got here a few minutes before eleven.

Detective Murphy: That's Rebecca Pace and Jeremy Gladwell?

Cheryl Weston: Yes, that's right.

Detective Murphy: Was anyone else with you?

Cheryl Weston: No, just us three.

Detective Murphy: And Ms. Pace was expecting you to pick her up... for a brunch date? Is that correct?

Cheryl Weston: Becky has a key. We honked and when Kim didn't come out, we got out and went to the door. Strange, the door was locked. Didn't make sense, she knew we were coming. Anyway, Becky used her key and we went inside.

Detective Armstrong: Did you notice anything else that seemed unusual?

Cheryl Weston: Not really. It was quiet, everybody sleeping in I guess. This has always been a quiet neighborhood. One of the reasons Kimberly liked it. I think Becky said something about a light being on, but I didn't notice.

Detective Armstrong: Anything else? See anyone out and about?

Cheryl Weston: There was a kid on a bike who zoomed by, but I don't think I noticed anyone else.

Detective Murphy: Did you wait long before you entered the house? Did you ring the bell or knock before you went in?

Cheryl Weston: Like I said, we honked and when she didn't come out, we went to the house. We just figured she was running behind like she does sometimes. So we went to the door, tried to open it and when we saw it was locked, Becky used the key and we went in.

Detective Murphy: All three of you went to the house?

Cheryl Weston: Yes.

Detective Murphy: What did you see when you first came into the house?

Cheryl Weston: Just the usual. Except it was really quiet, which bothered me. We called out to Kimberly, but she didn't answer. Her dog didn't come bounding out either. It gave me a weird feeling. It was too damn quiet. I went toward the bedroom to see if she was still asleep; Jeremy and Becky went to other parts of the house looking for her. Then I heard Becky scream.

Detective Armstrong: So, what did you do?

Cheryl Weston: I went running to her. I guess me and Jeremy got to the kitchen about the same time. Becky was on the basement steps, crying, trying to talk to the dog. The dog was growling and whining... Sorry, this is hard...

Detective Murphy: It's all right. Just take your time.

Cheryl Weston: There she was at the bottom of the stairs. I started down, but then I saw her face and knew...

Detective Armstrong: Knew what?

Cheryl Weston: That she was... gone. Her eyes were wide open and she had this look on her face. Thoreau wouldn't let us near her, kept licking her face like he was trying to wake her up. It was the saddest thing I've ever seen.

Detective Murphy: Thoreau?

Cheryl Weston: Kimberly's dog.

Detective Armstrong: What did Becky and Jeremy do?

Cheryl Weston: Jeremy moaned and turned away, started to cry. Becky kept insisting we had to pick Kim up and take her to the hospital. It was all so unreal... I was doing everything I could to coax Becky off the steps and close the door. I called 911 and y'all came.

Detective Armstrong: How long was it from the time you entered the house to the time you found Kimberly?

Cheryl Weston: Not long, maybe ten minutes. Maybe less, it's hard to tell because when I think about it, it seemed to happen in slow motion.

Detective Murphy: Did you stay on the phone with the 911 operator until the first officer arrived?

Cheryl Weston: No. I think they wanted me to, but everything here was just chaos. Jeremy was crying. Becky was starting to lose it. Thoreau was growling and barking at Becky whenever she tried to get close to Kimberly. I couldn't keep talking on the phone with all that going on. I had to get off.

Detective Armstrong: What did you do after you hung up with 911?

Cheryl Weston: I got Jeremy and Becky out of the house, and we waited out front for y'all to come. We were all crying and shaking. It seemed like it took forever for you to come, but you came real quick.

Detective Armstrong: Did any of you touch the body? Check for a pulse?

Cheryl Weston: No, sir. Even if we wanted to, we couldn't have. Thoreau was the only one who got near her, and he wouldn't let us get too close. Poor sad boy, what's he going to do without her?

Detective Murphy: Did you notice anything when you went outside, while you were waiting for the police to come?

Cheryl Weston: No, it was still quiet. The neighbor next door was pruning his bushes.

Detective Murphy: Was this neighbor a man or a woman?

Cheryl Weston: A man.

Detective Murphy: Do you know his name?

Cheryl Weston: Arthur Beck. He didn't even look at us, which was typical. He doesn't like anybody, I don't think. He and Kimberly didn't get along. Well, I guess I should say he didn't like her dog. So I guess it didn't surprise me that he didn't say anything to us.

Detective Armstrong: Do you know if Ms. Pace was seeing anyone?

Cheryl Weston: Yes and no. She's been with Paul Evans more often than not for a couple years now, but he moved out a couple weeks ago.

Detective Armstrong: Do you know where he is now?

Cheryl Weston: Yes, he's staying with his friend Miguel Ochoa out in Abbeville. At least, that's where he usually goes when he and Kimberly are on the outs.

Detective Armstrong: So they were estranged?

Cheryl Weston: Yes, but that wasn't so unusual. They had a pretty rocky relationship sometimes, but they always made up.

Detective Armstrong: When was the last time you saw Ms. Pace alive?

Cheryl Weston: Friday night, we had dinner at Ajax Diner. She was worried about whether she should go to Paul's opening. He's an artist and he had a show at the C'est Belle Gallery Saturday night. Since they were broken up... taking a break, she didn't know if she should go or not.

Detective Armstrong: Did she mention whether or not if she'd spoken to him recently?

Cheryl Weston: She said they'd talked a couple days ago, and he wanted her to come. She didn't know. She wasn't sure if they were even going to get back together. But then, she always goes through that when they split up. They always get back together.

Detective Armstrong: Was there anything else bothering her that you know of?

Cheryl Weston: Just that article by one of her students.

Detective Armstrong: What article?

Cheryl Weston: One of her students wrote a piece in the school paper, accusing teachers of selling grades. She felt it was aimed at her. She was upset about that, especially since the student whose name appeared on the article she thought was a friend of hers.

Detective Armstrong: Did she confront this student?

Cheryl Weston: I don't know. She had Paul on her mind mostly

Detective Armstrong: OK, is there anything else you can tell us?

Cheryl Weston: I don't know. If you have more questions, I will surely answer them. Do you think this was an accident? I mean, do you figure she just fell down the stairs?

Detective Murphy: We don't really know anything for sure yet. Thank you for your time. If we have any further questions, we'll contact you.